Olayiwola Matthew
The Zamfara State Governor, Dauda Lawal, has said he knows the exact locations of bandit leaders terrorising the state but was powerless to act because he does not control security agencies.
In a viral video that has stirred reactions, Lawal lamented that despite his knowledge of bandits’ movements, the ongoing fight against insecurity was being crippled by the fact that security chiefs in Zamfara State take directives only from Abuja.
“I swear to Almighty Allah, wherever a bandit leader is located within Zamfara State, I know it and if he goes out, I know.
“With my mobile phone, I can show you where and where these bandits are today. But we cannot do anything beyond our powers,” he said.
The visibly emotional governor added, “If today, I have the power to give orders to the security agencies, I can assure you, we will end banditry in Zamfara State within two months. Most of the time, I shed tears for my people because I can see a problem but I cannot order the security operatives to act in time.”
Lawal narrated how bandits once invaded Shinkafi Local Government Area of the State while security operatives in the state failed to respond because they had not received clearance from Abuja.
“There was a time the bandits invaded Shinkafi and the security operatives were alerted, but they refused to go simply because they were not given orders from Abuja,” he said.
He stressed that his administration had gone the extra mile to support security outfits despite lacking direct command.
Recently, Zamfara distributed 150 patrol vehicles to police, army, DSS, and civil defence. Thousands of Community Protection Guards were recruited, and 2,000 hunters from Borno and Yobe hired to reinforce the fight.
“I am doing all these despite the fact that I have no control over the security agencies; but because it’s my responsibility to protect the lives and properties of the people of Zamfara,” he said.
Lawal’s outburst came as Zamfara State reels from a fresh wave of attacks and abductions.
Within the past month, over 150 people were kidnapped in multiple raids across Zurmi, Kaura Namoda, and Bukuyum LGAs, while at least 10 security operatives and three civilians were killed in an ambush in Adabka.
Protests have also erupted in Gusau, where residents accused authorities of failing to protect them from repeated bandit raids that have killed more than 100 people in recent months.
Meanwhile, President Bola Tinubu hinted at the creation of state police as a solution to Nigeria’s worsening security crisis.
“I am reviewing all the aspects of security; I have to create a state police. We are looking at that holistically. We will defeat insecurity. We must protect our children, people, livelihoods, places of worship, and recreational spaces. They can’t intimidate us,” Tinubu said on Wednesday during a meeting with Katsina State elders at the Presidential Villa.
He also announced the deployment of forest guards and the acquisition of drones to bolster operations in troubled regions.